Tim Howard

[LinekersLegs]

I wouldn't mind Howard coming back in if a) he'd been having a good run of form prior to the injury b) had shown in training that he is consistently better than Robles at this moment or c) Joel has a mare of a game and needs time out from the spotlight.

But none of those are true!

There was a good case for Joel to have got more game time even before Howard limped off, Tim has only been back in full training a couple of days so too soon to decide who is in the better current form and Joel has been good in his last few games especially against West Ham.

At least give it to Leicester and let Howard work out his rustiness on the training pitch for a week rather than throwing him straight out to face the best team in the league.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

I'll have a Mardi Gras if Howard pulls up with a hamstring tweak in the warm up

Never understand people wanting any of our players injured, only ever read this sort of comment on GOT though thankfully.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

I wouldn't mind Howard coming back in if a) he'd been having a good run of form prior to the injury b) had shown in training that he is consistently better than Robles at this moment or c) Joel has a mare of a game and needs time out from the spotlight.

But none of those are true!

There was a good case for Joel to have got more game time even before Howard limped off, Tim has only been back in full training a couple of days so too soon to decide who is in the better current form and Joel has been good in his last few games especially against West Ham.

At least give it to Leicester and let Howard work out his rustiness on the training pitch for a week rather than throwing him straight out to face the best team in the league.

Maybe Robles being so bad in the past in training was one of the reasons it took an injury to Howard before he got a game, maybe he's performing to his absolute maximum now and it's simply adequate but Howard's top form is much higher than this level so he'd much rather have the better keeper in goal.

It's not as if Robles has been incident free since he came in, even during the run of clean sheets he's relied on others to keep the ball out.

 

[deipnosophist]

Convincing the manager to stick with him throughout the summer rather than bring someone in, just so he can torpedo matches next season again.

Hooray.

I think RM got burnt this season by believing, in last summer's window, that aging players 'have another season in them'. If he makes the same mistake again, I will be the first data entry on next season's MARTINEZ OUT pie chart.

 

[sageyefc]

Maybe Robles being so bad in the past in training was one of the reasons it took an injury to Howard before he got a game, maybe he's performing to his absolute maximum now and it's simply adequate but Howard's top form is much higher than this level so he'd much rather have the better keeper in goal.

It's not as if Robles has been incident free since he came in, even during the run of clean sheets he's relied on others to keep the ball out.

Christ, grasping at straws arent you.


Either your a american fanboy or your just a huge hater

 

[LinekersLegs]

Maybe Robles being so bad in the past in training was one of the reasons it took an injury to Howard before he got a game, maybe he's performing to his absolute maximum now and it's simply adequate but Howard's top form is much higher than this level so he'd much rather have the better keeper in goal.

It's not as if Robles has been incident free since he came in, even during the run of clean sheets he's relied on others to keep the ball out.

Howard on top form (or even average form) may be better than Robles on top form, I don't know.

But Howard wasn't on either before he was injured and he has just spent a lot of time out. It usually takes most players a little while to regain match sharpness and physical ability to last the full 90 - Howard only rejoined training on Monday. We have rushed several players back straight from injury this season and it usually hasn't worked out well. We are not forced to do so in this instance so why do it?

 

[Khalekan]

Back four have confidence in current keeper it seems, could be an unpopular decision if Howard comes straight in.

Having said that, big pressure on Robles when he's actually keeping Howard out as opposed to deputising through injury, greater scrutiny

There woud be terrible pressure on Howard if he walks straight back in the team while Joel was still doing well.

It would be a very unpopular move and all it would take was one goal due to a Howard mistake for the groans to echo round the ground, heaping further pressure on him.

At the moment there is absolutely no justification for Howard to be given the nod over Joel.

I am sure Bobby will stick with Joel for the time being, no matter what it says in the Echo.

 

[Eric Djemba-Djemba]

Maybe Robles being so bad in the past in training was one of the reasons it took an injury to Howard before he got a game, maybe he's performing to his absolute maximum now and it's simply adequate but Howard's top form is much higher than this level so he'd much rather have the better keeper in goal.

It's not as if Robles has been incident free since he came in, even during the run of clean sheets he's relied on others to keep the ball out.

Who cares what Howard's top form is if we never see it? And based off this season there is no way that he is a better keeper.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Christ, grasping at straws arent you.


Either your a american fanboy or your just a huge hater

Neither, i believe Howard's the superior keeper and want our strongest team out and getting us up the league.

Doesn't it seem odd to you that the one man qualified to make a judgement on who's the better keeper has clearly stated its Howard and played him through a run of bad form and only gave his understudy a game because his number 1 was injured?

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Howard on top form (or even average form) may be better than Robles on top form, I don't know.

But Howard wasn't on either before he was injured and he has just spent a lot of time out. It usually takes most players a little while to regain match sharpness and physical ability to last the full 90 - Howard only rejoined training on Monday. We have rushed several players back straight from injury this season and it usually hasn't worked out well. We are not forced to do so in this instance so why do it?

Yeah I can understand not rushing him in but clearly it looks like Martinez thinks the gulf in class is wide enough to take that chance.

 

[Eric Djemba-Djemba]

A quick summation of Howard's season:

 

[sageyefc]

Neither, i believe Howard's the superior keeper and want our strongest team out and getting us up the league.

Doesn't it seem odd to you that the one man qualified to make a judgement on who's the better keeper has clearly stated its Howard and played him through a run of bad form and only gave his understudy a game because his number 1 was injured?

Do you genuinely believe on this seasons form that Howard is part of our strongest 11

 

[Kurt.]

Dougie you've been at this constant for 6 hours now lad.... That's commitment x

 

[Alex Hindmarsh]

Positives and negatives to both I reckon. Tims a better reaction/shot stop keeper, but Joel is much more commanding dealing with crosses. But to drop him after 3 clean sheets is absolutely bonkers and he'll be rightly criticized if he does.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Do you genuinely believe on this seasons form that Howard is part of our strongest 11

Yeah I do, Robles isn't as good as Howard. I couldn't be more clear could I?